Govt is going global to scout for aviation professionals to fill top positions at Air India

With the proposed strategic sale of Air India failing to take off earlier this year, the government is going all out to turn around the airline

New Delhi: To put the battered national carrier back into shape, the government is going global to scout for professionals to fill top positions at Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said. With the proposed strategic sale of Air India failing to take off earlier this year, the government is going all out to turn around the airline. Part of Air India's debt has already been hived off into a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and a bunch of other initiatives have also been put into place.

According to a source, the government plans to set up a search committee that would be tasked with finding aviation professionals suitable for the various roles.

The latest decision to pick the airline's management through a global search process is in line with the move. Talking about steps for reviving the national airline, Prabhu said there are plans for complete professionalisation. "I have already ordered a global search for the professionalisation of Air India completely. All top positions in Air India should be filled by some sort of a global search. That proposal is now under active consideration of the government," the minister told a news agency in an interview. According to a source, the government plans to set up a search committee that would be tasked with finding aviation professionals suitable for the various roles.

Air India is currently reeling under a debt burden of over Rs 550 billion and about Rs 290 billion has been transferred into an SPV.